NDF withdraws plan to declare unilateral truce

THE National Democratic Front (NDF) will no longer declare its unilateral ceasefire following the decision of the government not to declare its own.

NDF peace panel chair Fidel Agcaoili said the communist rebels would appear foolish if the Maoist group would push with its earlier pronouncement of declaring a truce before the resumption of the fourth round of talks on April 2-6 in the Netherlands.

"The revolutionary movement would appear foolish and open to attacks by the AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) and PNP (Philippine National Police) should it declare a unilateral ceasefire while the GRP (government of the Republic of the Philippines) would not," he said in a statement.

"This would also be a violation of the principles of parity and reciprocity between the Parties in the armed conflict," he said.

Agcaoili said the NDF would still aim for a simultaneous announcement.

Labor Secretary and government peace panel head Silvestre Bello III said the government would not declare a unilateral ceasefire.

He said what President Rodrigo Duterte wants is a bilateral truce. (SDR/SunStar Philippines)